Moonlighting: Fomca supports govt docs

Sun2Surf: PETALING JAYA: Fomca has taken an opposing stand against the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) on the move to allow government doctors to moonlight their service as locums in the private sector.
Fomca vice-president K.Koris says: "We support the decision because it is a problem created by the government's policy."
Koris, who is also Penang Consumers Protection Association president, said the financial woes of young doctors, especially the non-Malays, are actually due to the government.
"Those who are unable to get financial aid from the government or their education have burdened their parents. The salary that they get for five years of 'compulsory service' to the government, which I choose to call 'compulsory suffering', does not substantiate their parents' support.
"These young doctors need to moonlight to help their parents settle borrowings used to finance their medical courses. So, don't blame them for being overworked.
"It's a government-created problem," he added.
Koris urged the government to look into the root causes of the problem instead of pointing the finger at the "over worked doctors and locums." said Koris.
CAP president S.M.Mohamed Idris had on Saturday (March 25, 2006) issued a statement objecting to the decision to allow government doctors to do locum work in the private sector.